This invention relates to a teat cup cleaning apparatus.
Teat cups of the type used in milking parlors require regular cleaning and disinfecting to avoid the occurrence of udder and other diseases. The usual practice is to clean and disinfect both the udders and the teat cups after each milking operation. If one set of teat cups is used to milk more than one cow, the teat cups must be thoroughly cleansed between each milking operation. As proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,228,698, which issued to J. W. Fitches on Jan. 14, 1941, cleaning is commonly effected by dropping all of the teat cups into a single container of liquid. Single udder cleaning cups are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,713,423 and 4,305,346, which issued to A. V. Sparr, Sr. on Jan. 30, 1973 and Dec. 15, 1981, respectively.
Cleaning in a single large container is not the most desireable solution to the cleaning problem. In the absence of agitation, uniform and thorough distribution of cleansing agent to all teat cups may not occur. Moreover, carrying cleaning solution from one stall to another is not particularly easy or desirable.
The object of the present invention is to solve the above identified problems by providing a relatively simple teat cup cleaning apparatus which can be installed in each milking stall, and which ensures thorough teat cup cleaning.